Laredo joins American Association

Posted: November 29, 2011 - 12:17am

Globe-News staff

The American Association, the independent minor league baseball organization that includes the Amarillo Sox, added the Laredo Lemurs for the 2012 season, commissioner Miles Wolff said in a news release Monday.

The team will be owned by Laredo Baseball Investors, LLC, while the president and CEO is longtime baseball executive Mark Schuster.

A major factor in the league accepting the Lemurs is a new 6,000-seat, $18-million ballpark developed by the city and scheduled to be finished in early May.

The 100-game American Association regular season begins May 17 and runs through Sept. 3.

“We are extremely proud to welcome Laredo as a member of the American Association,” Wolff said. “The plans for the new stadium are impressive, and we expect great things from this team.”

Professional baseball has been in Laredo since 1910, including teams in the Triple-A Mexican League and independent Texas-Louisiana League.

The Laredo Broncos were the last team in the city, members of United League Baseball, the independent league the now defunct Amarillo Dillas played in.

“Laredo has a great baseball history, and the city will be an outstanding addition to the league,” Wolff said.